Jointed structure



Q March 23, 1948. M. H. GALLAGHER 2,438,391

JOINTED STRUCTURE Filed April 4, 1945 HI 1 m .EJI EZZZZLF Patented Mar. 23., 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE J OINTED STRUCTURE Mabel H. Gallagher, Chicago, 111.

Application April 4, 1945, Serial No. 586,602

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a jointed structure, and more particularly to a separable structure of a plurality of parts each having integral jointforming portions cooperating with corresponding portions on the other parts to hold the parts in assembled relation.

It is an object of this invention to provide a jointed structure of separable parts having interfitting portions for interlocking assembly thereof.

Another object is the provision of a simple joint-for the assembly of separable parts of a jointed structure.

A further object of the invention is the pro--' vision of a structure having detachable parts which may be easily and quickly assembled and disassembled by means of a novel joint.

Another and further object is the provision of a simple and secure joint for detachably connecting separable members.

It is also an object of this invention to pro vide a novel joint for securing together and releasing the parts of a separable structure.

An additional object is the provision of a toy having separable parts formed with corresponding interfitting joint portions.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a separable structure provided withv interlocking joint portions engageable and disengageable by relative movement between the parts substantially along a single line.

Other and further objectsand advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the 'art from the following description and appended drawings.

On the drawings;

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a toy embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view I of the toy shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken along the line III-III of Figure 2.

In Figures 1 to 3, the invention is illustrated as applied to a toy horse, although it will be understood that the invention may equally well be applied to other toy figures, or to structural toys or the like, and that the invention is also applicable to jointed or separable structures other than toys.

The toy horse comprises a body portion ID, a separable head portion II, and a separable tail portion l2. The body portion I is slotted at either end thereof. This slotted construction may be easily and conveniently provided by forming the body portion of a pair of identical outer members I3 formed in the shape of the trunk and legs of a horse, and a central member l4 secured between the members It having its upper and lower surfaces flush with the corresponding surfaces of the members I3.

The member I4 is shorter than the trunk portion of the members l3, and as best shown in Figure 8, it has its forward end formed to provide an inclined surface l5 extending upwardly and rearwardly for a substantial portion of the length of the'front end. Another inclined surface "5 offset rearwardly from the inclined portion l5 extends rearwardly and upwardly to the top of the member 14. The inclined surfaces l5 and iii are in spaced overlapped relation, and are connected: by a reversely curved surface to provide a projection H at the surface l5 and a recess i8 defined between the projection I1 and the surface I-B, somewhat in the nature of an ogee curve. Thesurfaces l5 and it are shown at an angle of slightly lessthan degrees relative to each other, although they may be otherwise disposed, as in parallel relation or at an angle greater than 180' degrees. The rear end of the central portion i4 is formed with inclined surfaces I5a and Isa, projection Ila, and recess l8a, corresponding to the surfaces l5 and i6, projection ll and recess Id, respectively, of the front end of the member I l. The projection l'l, however, is shown as rounded, while the projection Ha is shown as forming a relatively sharp angle or corner 19- with the inclined surface lea.

The head part II has its rear or inner end formed with inclined surfaces 2 9 and 2 i to abut against the surfaces l5 and I6, respectively, of the central part l4, and a recess 22 and a tongue 23- to interfit with the projection I1 and recess l8, respectively.

The tail part [2 has inclined surfaces 20a and Ma, recess 22a, and tongue 23a similar to the elements 20-, 2|, 22 and 23 of the head part II, and formed to engage the surfaces l5a and Ilia, projection Ila, and recess Ilia, respectively, of the central part M.

The head part II may be attached to the body part II] by inserting the rear portion of the head part in the slot at the front end of the body part and engaging the tongue 23 in the recess I8, so that the corresponding inclined surfaces engage or abut each other and the projection l1 engages in the recess 22. Detachment of the parts is accomplished by a reverse operation. The tail part 12 may be attached and detached in the same manner as the head part I l.

The-recesses l8 and 18a are of such depth that a substantial sliding movement must occur between the' inclined surfaces of the parts before the parts may be engaged or disengaged. The parts thus may be attached or detached only by movement in one direction or the other along substantially a single line. While the center of gravity of the head part II, or of the tail part I2, is so disposed, the part II or l2 may be secured on the body part I!) simply by placing the tongue 23 or 23a at the upper portion ofthe inclined surface I6 or Mia and permitting the part to fall or slide by gravity into its attached position.

When the part II or I2 is in attached position, T11:

the cooperating inclined surfaces and the inter;

engaged projections and tongues. Even a force acting in a generally vertical direction will not serve to remove the part II or l2 unless it has a component acting along the line of movement previously referred to great enough to move the projections out of the recesses.

The parts II and I2 are illustrated as having the same width or thickness as the central part I4, but these parts may be of a different thickness, if desired, with only the portion thereof fitting within the slot in the body part In having substantially the same thickness as the central member I4. 7,

The joint elements for the tail part l2, as shown in Figure 3, have dimensions. different from those of the joint elements for securing the head part II. This preventsthe disposition of one part in the place wherethe other should be applied, since the dimensional differences will not permit interengagement by the joint elements of one of the detachable parts with the joint elements of the body part provided to coast with the joint elements of the other detachable part. Instead of providing the joint elements in different dimensions, or in addition to the dimensional differences, the joint for one part, as for the tail part l2, may have one or more of the elements formed in a diflerent shape from the corresponding element or elements of the joint for the other part. Such difierence in shape may, for example, be the provision of the sharp angle IS on the projection Ila, but this example is illustrative only. i i l i If desired, of course, the head and tail parts may each be provided with a slot, and the body part have portions to extend into the slots. In other words, the parts may be reversed in this respect. 1

Several head and tail parts of different shapes or sizes may be employed with a single body part l0, if desired, to permit assembly of the parts into toys of differing aspects, A child may assemble the toy without error because 'of the differences between the joint elements of the different parts. The assembled toy has the parts so locked together that the possibility of unintentional disassembly is very largely eliminated by reason of the simple and efiicient joint of this invention. i

Theinvention is not limited in application to figure toys, since the joint is well adapted for use with construction .or structural toys in which a plurality of blocks, bars, strips, and the like may be secured together in various combinations to simulate structures of various kinds, The invention may also be employed generally, being applicable to a wide variety of structures in which the parts are to be separably joined.

It will be obvious that the joint provided by this invention does not require that the inclined surfaces upon which a detachable member may be disclosed form the bottom of a slot, as shown in Figure 3. That is, it is not necessary to the invention that one of the members to be secured together provide a slot into which the other member may project. This is particularly true in the case of relatively wide orrthickmembers, which are not readily .displaceable laterally relatively to each other. With relatively wide or thick members, a considerable lateral movement is necessary to cause separation, and requires that an entire member move laterally. A pivoting or rotational movement of the member would result inbinding between the members and thus prej vent displacement thereof. Lateral movement, moreover, may be resisted by friction over a considerable area. Practically, therefore, in a great many applications, the joint elements need not be disposed in a slot to prevent lateral displacementofthemembers: 3 s T 2' It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through .a wide range without departing from the princi ples of this invention, and it is not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims. Iclaim as my invention; 5 .1 1. A toy comprising a solid body shaped in the similitude of an animal and having a separable head and a separable tail, said body having aslot r at its head end and a second slot'at its tail end, the sides of said slots being closed with the ends of the slot being open, said head having a part enterable in the head end slot, said tail having a part enterable in the tailrend slot, the head end slot and margins of the enterable parts of said head having complemental surfaces to interlock against relative rocking or tilting motion when the head is entered in its slot, the. tail end slot and the margins of the enterable part of sai'dtail having complemental. surfaces. to; 'interlock against relative rocking" or tilting'motion when said tail is entered in its slot, and the comple mental surfaces of the head. and the .head end slot being diiferent from the complementalsurfaces of the tail and the tail end slot to prevent insertion of the tail into the head end slotand of the head into the tail endslot, said parts being connectable and disconnectable by relative movement endwise of the slots with .the direction of movement of the parts being connected and disconnected in planesparallel to the planes of. the sidesurfaces of the body. 'f T 2. A toy comprising a solid body shaped in the similitude of an animal and having at least two separable members, said body having at least two slots in it to receivelsaid members, the sides'of said slots being closed with the ends ofthe slot being open, each of said members havingya part enterable in its slot, said slots and portions of said enterable parts having complemental tongue andrecess engagements to lconnectithe parts and said body solely by sliding action and to interlock the parts and body against, relative tilting movement, the complemental tongue and, recess engagements of a member and its Slot being different from the complemental tongueiand recess engagementiof anothermemberand its slot to,

5 6 allel to the planes of the side surfaces of the body. UNITED MABEL H. GALLAGHER. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date REFERENCES CITED 1,211,590 Kennedy Jan. 9, 1917 5 1,227,129 Frueh May 22, 1917 The following references are of record in the 2,247,614 Lingenfieter July 1' 1941 file of this patent: 

